O’Brien sues Revenue for breach of privacy

Billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien is suing the Revenue Commissioners claiming it breached his privacy by providing details of his tax affairs to the media.

He claims the alleged disclosure arose from a document Revenue provided to certain news organisations during a case arising out of his tax liability for 1999/ 2000 relating to the sale of his shares in Esat Telecom to BT Hawthorn Ltd. Revenue denies his claims and says almost all the information came from a public High Court hearing.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott yesterday ordered Revenue, in advance of the main case, to provide discovery of certain categories of information. The judge said the case arose out of an appeal by Mr O’Brien against a tax assessment raised by Revenue.